


Harmony's Visitor

by RebelStoryTeller



Category: Biker Mice From Mars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:42:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24111502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelStoryTeller/pseuds/RebelStoryTeller





	Harmony's Visitor

**It had been over three months since Harmony O'Chansingston had gone to work for her paternal aunt and uncle at their tavern in exchange for free room and board and as the months wore on and the time for Aeron's visit drew closer and closer, Harmony's health took a turn on the nasty side and she awoke one morning with a very sore throat, splitting headaches and a fever.**

**With but no choice but to send for the village doctor, her Uncle Trapper and Aunt Gearshift took turns trying to bring down her fever and make her as comfortable as possible all the while forgetting to look at the calendar to remind themselves that Aeron was on his way.**

**While Trapper and Gearshift ran the tavern and inn, the small child they had been taking care of stayed up in Harmony's room for company. One morning, during the height of her illness, Harmony awoke and glanced at her calendar and realized Aeron would be there the next morning and decided to ask the child of a favor so begins the story**

**Child notices Harmony was awake and says:** Do you need anything?

 **Harmony in a low voice replies:** Aeron will be here tomorrow and no one has thought to tell him I am sick in bed. I have had several letters written but it seems no one will send them out. You have the ability to teleport do you not?

 **Child:** I do, but I have no idea how it works. I was transported here by my fledgling magic that dropped me off in the middle of no where inconveniently smacking my head against a rock causing me to loose parts of my memory of my past.

 **Harmony:** Then can it be fueled by another's desire to hasten the arrival of another?

 **Child:** Never tried to use it that way, but all I can say is I will give it a try.

**Meanwhile twelve towns over Aeron enters his eightieth tavern in search of a hot meal and place to rest for the night.**

**Aeron comes into room and looks around and says:** Man it's packed in here t'night! Oh well, just another half day's journey until I reach Harmony's uncle's Tavern and Inn.

**Meanwhile twelve towns over**

**Child:** Do you have anything that bears his resemblance?

 **Harmony:** I-I have but one locket that has a portrait of Aeron in it but the chain broke a few weeks before I came to be here and I haven't been able to wear it. I keep it in my dress pocket on the left. If you take that locket to where ever Aeron is, then I am absolutely certain that he will gladly follow you where ever you go.

 **Small child walks over to the chair where Harmony's dress was laid out and reaches into her left dress pocket to remove the locket and says:** This it?

 **Harmony weakly nods and says:** Yes that is the locket Aeron gave me for my birthday a few short months ago. Now be gone to search for him. Oh one last thing! You need to know his last name! There could be hundreds or thousands of men named Aeron but only one with the last name VanWham!

 **Small child pulls up the hood of her cloak up over her head and vanishes into thin air right in front of Harmony and reappears in the doorway of the very room Aeron was in and turns the locket over to get a glimpse of the man she was searching for and finds him standing at the window,takes a deep breath,clears her throat, walks over to where Aeron stood looking out the window and says:** Be you Aeron VanWham?

 **Aeron hears a crystal clear voice behind him turns around to find a small cloaked figure infront of him and says:** Yes I be Aeron VanWham. Who wants to know?

 **Small child removes her hood and says:** I-I do not remember my name I have very few memories of my past and of my family. But that's not why I'm here.

 **Aeron straightens up to his full six foot figure and says:** Then why are you here child?

 **Small child brings out the hand with Harmony's locket in it and says:** Does this locket look familiar to you in anyway shape or form?

 **Aeron gasps as he recognizes Harmony's locket,takes it from the child's small well manicured hand and says:** Where? Where did you get this? This belongs to Harmony! I gave it to her over three months ago today for her birthday to remind her of my love towards her! I have the other half! But how did you come to have this? **(feels his stomach drop and says)** Oh dear god is she dead? Tell me! **(Grabs the child by her shoulders and shakes her saying)** Is she dead or alive?

 **Small child:** Please sir,stop shaking me and let go of my shoulders! You are starting to get scary and I do not like scary people. On top of that you are older,taller and stronger than I. One false move and something could get broken.

 **Aeron becomes aware of himself shaking the child and stops saying:** A thousand apologies little one. But tell me, is Harmony dead or alive.

 **Small child takes a deep breath and says:** She is fine. Sick but fine. She has been running a fever for the last three days.

 **Aeron confused:** If she is several towns over,then how did you find me here?

 **Small child:** The love she has for you fueled this locket and my magic to fuse into one and the locket teleported me here. Somehow the locket knew where to find the other half.

 **Aeron:** Well can it work both ways? Can you take me to Harmony?

 **Small child closes her eyes as the room starts to spin and says:** I-I do not know if I have the strength to teleport again. **(Feels her legs start shaking and her knees buckled as she fought to stay standing saying)** But -ohhh **(Faints and falls forward into Aeron's arms exhausted from the amount of strength and concentration it took to find him)**

 **Aeron catches the small child in his arms and gently shakes her saying:** Child! Child are you alright? Speak to me! **(Notices something sticking out from under her dress and scoops it up in his free hand to find it was a heart shaped locket,opens it and finds and inscription that he reads out loud)** To my darling daughter Stardust on her third birthday. Love always your ever loving father-Hunter. **(Gasps as he finally recognizes the child and says in a breathless voice)** You- you are-you are Hunter's daughter! The child who has been missing for three years! Stardust your father will be ecstatic to have you back home where he can keep you safe! As for now if you were teleported here by the love Harmony has for me combined with what magic is in your body,then the process can be done again! I love Harmony with my entire heart and would do anything for her and for you now that I know who you are! **(Suddenly feels the unconscious child's developing magic become stronger as it merged with the magic of the love he held in his heart for Harmony and became so bright that he had to shield his eyes from the light and when the light dimmed and he slowly opened his eyes,he found himself,his pack and his stead outside Trapper's Tavern twelve towns over,slowly stood up balancing the unconscious child in his arms and entered the tavern slowly looking around. When he heard the small child awakening, he looked down and said to the confused child)** Oh thank Ares! I thought I had lost you!

 **Small child opens her eyes and says:** How-how long was I out?

 **Aeron:** Scarcely a few hours but at least your weak magic and my deep love and desire for Harmony got us here safely. **(Remembers what he'd read on the inside of her locket and says)** Are you certain you do not remember your name?

 **Small child sadly shakes her head and says:** When these things happen, they happen so fast I have no time to remember what happened,who I am or even how to get back to where I came from. Why do you ask me these questions?

 **Aeron removes the heart shaped locket from her neck and opens it saying:** I am assuming you can read,can you not child?

 **Small child:** No. Why do you ask if I can read?

 **Aeron opens the locket and says:** Never mind, I will read the inscription on your locket and all your erased memories will come flooding back to you. **(Reads the inscription to Stardust saying)** It says: To my darling daughter Stardust on her third birthday. Love always your ever loving father-Hunter.

 **Small starts to feel faint again as all her blocked memories came flooding back to her as she says:** Has-has it truly been three years since my magic teleported me across the planet with no way to get back home? How will I get back home to my father if I do not know how I came to be in this spot in the first place? I don't know how to write yet! I do not know how read to save my life let alone print a letter to send home to my father to let him know I'm all right.

 **Aeron carefully sets the child on her feet saying:** Don't worry Stardust, I will take care of that as soon as you tell me where to find Harmony!

 **Stardust:** She is upstairs in her room resting quietly.

 **Aeron looks around and says:** I see nothing but patrons enjoying their meals!

 **Stardust giggles and says:** Over to the left is a door, behind the door are a set of stairs that lead to the living quarters upstairs. Harmony's room is the first door on the left side.

 **Aeron:** Alright so through the door, up the stairs and on the left.

 **Stardust:** That's right, Gearshift put a plaque on her door with her name on it to keep drunken patrons out of her room.

 **Aeron heads towards the door tossing a greeting to Trapper saying:** Hi Trapper!

 **Trapper looks up and says:** Oh you've arrived earlier then anticipated! Unfortunately Harmony's sick in bed with a persistent fever and sore throat otherwise she'd be on the floor. I'll bring you up something to eat when the tavern closes for the night.

 **Aeron:** Thanks. **(Opens the door and heads up the stairs and to his left and finds himself outside Harmony's bedroom door,shifts the child in his arms and knocks on the door calling out)** Harmony?

 **Harmony awakens and weakly calls out:** Come on in.

 **Aeron turns the handle downwards and pushes the door in,sets Stardust down and heads over to Harmony's bed where he sits down saying:** Hi, you look awful! How are you feeling?

 **Harmony:** Like I swallowed sandpaper and am standing in the midst of a firestorm.

 **Aeron:** The most you can do for now dear is rest and let your sickness run its course. I'll be down working the floor in your place, seems like your aunt and uncle are short handed and need extra help.

 **Harmony:** Your parents would pass out if they knew a royal child was working as a bar hand!

Aeron: My great grandfather worked here there and everywhere building up a great reputation and anyone who sees me knows I come from a good family of hard workers. Sure dad was a tad harsh on me growing up but at least I'm not like my mother's good for nothing step-brother who beats his wife every other day for kicks. Now you rest and I best be going down to see where I can help out. **(Drops a kiss on Harmony's head and says)** I will be back up as soon as the tavern closes for the night so you continue to rest alright?

 **Harmony sleepily:** Of course, I'm too weak to do much of anything except sleep.

 **Aeron:** Harmony, I don't like the idea of you trekking across god knows how many miles of land just to come see me. It would be easier if- - **-(Lets his voice trail off so that Harmony could figure out what he was trying to say to her)**

 **Harmony slowly fills in the rest of the sentence in a hesitant voice saying:** If I- - - **(Suddenly realizes that he was proposing to her and says)** Oh Aeron ! You want me to marry you?

 **Aeron reaches into his vest pocket and pulls out a gold band saying:** What is the answer to my question? **(goes down on one knee beside her bed and holds her hands in his waiting for her answer)**

 **Harmony calms her mind down enough to come up with the answer she'd always imagined saying to him:** Of course I will! It's been three years and I was beginning to think you would never ask me! **(Begins to cough from the pressure in her chest left from the last amount of breath she used to answer Aeron)**

 **Aeron stands up,slips the simple gold band over Harmony's third right ring finger,then kisses her forehead saying:** Oh Harmony! Are you alright?! **(Picks up the water cup and fills it full of water then sits beside Harmony on her bed,slips one arm under her shoulders to lift her up then brings the glass full of water to her mouth and says)** Here drink to quell the coughing! **(Watches as Harmony slowly drank the water until the glass was empty and he laid her back saying)** Any better?

 **Harmony in a shuddering breath:** Y-yes t-thank you. This is the first time I have had a coughing fit like this since I became sick.

 **Aeron:** Good,coughing fits are rare but a part of being sick,so until you are safe to be face to face with I dare not kiss you on your mouth when you are sick! I have already been sick just before I left home I ran a fever of a hundred and two and was in bed for two weeks fighting it. Had my folks worried sick, great grandfather came all the way across Marsis to see me and ensure I was alright. It seems bringing me here exhausted the poor child, she's so tired she's fallen asleep already!

 **Harmony notices the child and says:** Who is she darling?

 **Aeron:** This little girl's Stardust

 **Harmony:** St- - ? Hunter's daughter? Of course he's been searching for her for three years! Oh how he loves her with his entire heart! He nearly lost Joey so soon after Stardust turned three, it must be torture on his heart not to have his only child where he knows she is safe!

 **Aeron:** Hmm I promised her I'd send word to him to let him know to come pick her up. **(notices a sleeping Stardust in the over sized chair and says)** Does she have a room of her own to sleep in?

 **Harmony:** Yes just through that door is where she sleeps.

 **Aeron picks up a sleeping Stardust and carries into her bedroom,removes her cloak and shoes then lays her back against the pillows carefully removing his arms from around her body then covers Stardust up with the warm blankets while he hung up the small cloak on the pegs on the wall and sat the small shoes underneath the cape then quietly left the small girl's room closing the door only half way so that if something didn't feel right he could check on her then he said to Harmony:** I've got to get a correspondence going to Hunter back home. I promised him that I'd let him know if I ever found Stardust. But I'll do that later, your aunt and uncle really need my help downstairs. I want you to remain in bed resting until I come back up later on alright? It will probably be close to eleven thirty by the time I get back up here.

 **Harmony:** I have no where to go. I am bed ridden upon doctor's orders. **(Watches as Aeron slipped out of her room closing the door behind him and went downstairs then fell asleep with the delight of a cool breeze blowing in through her window.)**

**Several hours later down in the tavern**

**Gearshift turns the Open Sign to Closed and locks the front door saying:** Thank you so much Aeron, Trapper and I appreciate your help, Harmony and Axel are both out sick and you did both their jobs at twice the speed! Now as promised we owe you something nice and hot to eat. We do happen to have some stew left over from this evening, will that do?

 **Aeron:** That's fine with me.

 **Trapper:** White or Red wine?

 **Aeron:** Neither please, a glass of ice cold water and a cup of mint green tea will do me fine.

 **Trapper goes about making a cup of mint green tea for Aeron using the last of the boiling hot water in the kettle to pour over the tea in the mug then calls out:** Any cream or milk in it?

 **Aeron:** Neither just as it is with a dollop of honey,a lemon wedge and a dash of mint.

 **Trapper picks up the honey stick and adds a giant dollop of honey, then a small dash of mint and a lemon wedge that he stirred all together and put on a tray with the last of the ice water fresh from the ice box and takes it out to Aeron saying:** Well here's your drinks **(looks up and sees Gearshift placing a big bowl of piping hot stew and a fresh roll in front of Aeron and says)** here's your supper, now chow down. What do we feed Coaldust and Starlight?

 **Aeron:** Coaldust eats raw meat as does Starlight with a small dish of cream and a bowl of water for each of them. I never feed the cat dry food, her teeth are not made for tough dry food so she gets nice hunks of raw meat without the fat and without the bones. What ever meat you have left over and don't want to go bad, cube it up and divide it between Coaldust and Starlight.

 **Trapper:** Alright then, Coaldust,Starlight c'mon and we'll get you two some nice juicy raw meat for dinner. **(Disappears into the kitchen followed by Coaldust and Starlight)**

**Aeron begins to eat his supper relishing the fact that the stew was nice,hot and fulfilling.**

**As time ticked on Aeron, who took his sweet time eating the stew; finally cleaned the bottom of the bowl with the dinner roll and leans back in his chair and says:** Oh whew! That was delicious! Much better then half the food I have eaten on the way here.

 **Gearshift:** Would you like dessert dear?

 **Aeron:** Oh no thank you! I have no room for dessert. I best be going upstairs to Harmony's room and get ready for bed myself. **(Stands up and polishes off his water and tea then heads up to Harmony's room where he got ready for bed then sits at Harmony's desk and begins writing a message briefly stating that Stardust was safe and unharmed and that if he wished he could come and take Stardust home with him at anytime stating the name of it Inn where they were staying then he signed it with his name and slid Stardust's locket into the envelope before sealing it and addressing it to Hunter. Then he got up and went over to the day bed gently awoke Harmony saying in a low voice)** Harmony wake up for a minute honey.

 **Harmony opens her sleepy eyes and says:** Hmm? What is it dear? Where are you going? Will you be long?

 **Aeron:** I'm going downstairs for a few moments. I need to get this delivered as soon as possible. I just didn't want you to wake up,find me gone and get worried. Will you be all right until I get back?

 **Harmony:** Hmm, alright. Go on and get that letter on the move. I'll be fine until you get back.

**Aeron heads towards the door,opens it and steps out into the hallway closing the door behind him and goes downstairs to speak with Gearshift who called out the express letter carrier who took the letter and was gone out the door and was on his mount heading towards the Sapphireshire Kingdom or where ever Hunter may be staying while searching for his missing child. Then he went back up to his room where he opened the door and stepped back inside closing the door behind him quietly so that he wouldn't wake up Harmony and Stardust.**

**Meanwhile the express letter carrier had found Hunter a few blocks down staying in another Inn and delivered the letter.**

**Hunter takes the letter from the carrier giving him a gold coin to pay for the delivery then went back inside his room thinking:** _Hmm, I wonder who the letter is from?_ **(Turns the letter over and sees Aeron's name on the back flap and urgently but carefully rips open the letter frantically scanning the entire contents and felt his heart jump at the words _"Stardust is safe and unharmed,we have a room for a family and we decided that since she is exhausted,we'll allow her to continue sleeping in the spare bedroom as I write these words. You can come and retrieve Stardust at anytime you wish. Yes I did find Harmony and we're staying on longer to spend more time with each other,but feel free to come for Stardust,she anxiously awaits your arrival. Aeron. PS enclosed is Stardust's locket to prove that we've got her with us. Aeron."_ and shakes out the content of the envelope into his hand and is presented with Stardust's locket and instantly grabs his cloak from the peg on the wall turns and calls to his wife he'd be back shortly and darts out of his room allowing the door to close behind him and darts the few short blocks to the Inn where he'd finally find his missing child and enters through the front door and approaches the desk where Gearshift instructed him to go up and to the left,then after thanking her he ran up the flight of stairs and turned left where he stopped and knocked on the door thinking)** _I hope this is the right place!_

 **Aeron hears someone knocking on the door and goes over to open it and welcomes Hunter into the room saying:** Come in! Come in,catch your breath and calm your nerves.

 **Hunter enters the room saying:** Where is Stardust?

 **Aeron nods and says:** Let me just go check to see if she is awake yet. **(Heads to the bedroom Stardust was in to find her awake pulls his head out and says to Hunter)** Stardust is awake now, you can go on in and see her.

 **Hunter hangs up his cloak then goes into Stardust's bedroom where he closed the bedroom door, walked over to the bed where she sat and swept her small body into his arms allowing his pent up tears to finally flow as he said:** Three years of searching every corner of this planet had yielded nothing to me and now the gods are giving you back to me once more. I've been so worried that you were dead that I could not bear the thought of cleaning out your room, I'd almost lost your mother in a carriage accident shortly after your third birthday and I had begun to think you were with Ares. But now, I can finally take you back home with me at long last.

 **Stardust snuggles closer to her father and buries her face in the hollow of his throat allowing her tears to soak his fur finally feeling safe at last as she clutched his shirt savoring the familiarity of his arms as he held and rocked her then lifted her up off the bed as she whimpered:** I-I wanna go home. Take me home papa, I wan momma

 **Hunter feels his tears renew themselves after so long it was sweet to hear his child call him papa again and whispers into her hair:** Of course my darling, papa will take you back home to where you belong. Momma's waiting back at the tavern where I'm staying hoping and praying you're alright. You are her baby and she is heart broken no one has found you yet. **(Walks over to the peg on the wall and gathers her cloak then carefully bends down to pick up her shoes saying)** When we get home you can have anything you want within reason my darling. **(Hears her stomach grumbling and says)** Starting with a decent meal. **(Notices a slip of paper detailing that night's menu and says)** There's a good selection for tonight's supper on this menu here, shall I go and bring you back something to eat?

 **Stardust tightens her grip on her father's shirt and says:** Noo don't leave me all alone.

 **Hunter soothes his shaken daughter saying:** Shh it's alright Stardust, papa's not leaving you alone. Let's go down and get something to eat while there is still piping hot food on the table shall we?

 **Stardust finally realizes that she was starving and says:** I'm hungwy! Go eat!

 **Hunter picks up Stardust,walks over to the bedroom door,opens it and exits the room saying:** Let's go and get you fed before you have a blackout caused by hunger. **(Says to Aeron )** Thank you ever so kindly for keeping Stardust safe until I could come for her. I'll be taking her back to the Inn where I'm currently lodged with Caitlin,after we go down and have something to eat in the dining room then we'll head back to my lodgings. By the time we get back to the inn, Raider,Aerrow and Chance should have arrived. **(Sets Stardust on a chair and slips her small shoes onto her feet then removes his cloak from the peg behind her and folds it over his arm then sets her back on her feet and takes her small hand in his and leads her out of Aeron and Harmony's lodgings and downstairs for dinner where Stardust ate to her heart and stomach's content and fell asleep shortly after finishing her dessert and drink while her father wrapped his own cloak around himself ensuring that the cloak broach was closed and locked into place then picked up and draped her cloak around her and fastened the hidden button to keep it from falling off and placed the hood over her head then gently awakened Stardust so she could climb onto his back and left the inn with her arms wrapped around his neck then she instantly fell back asleep while he carried her on his back heading back to the inn where he was lodged. Upon arrival the inn keeper stated that his visitor's were in his room waiting for him and he carefully walked up the stairs and entered his lodgings saying)** Oh good you did find me!

 **Chance notices Hunter carrying a child and says:** You found Stardust after all these years? Is she alright? Here let me take her cloak and shoes off for you so you will not have to awaken her since she is sleeping. **(Removes Stardust's cloak and shoes saying)** Is she alright and unharmed?

 **Hunter nods and says:** Yes she's fine and unharmed. We just had a big supper plus multiple desserts so she's filled to the brim with food and is sleeping contentedly. Has Caitlin gone to bed already?

 **Chance heaves a silent sigh of relief then says:** No you may have passed her in the dining room she went for a bite to eat while she waited for you to return. She should be back by the time we leave. What of my sister Harmony? Is she alright and unharmed? Oh I just ran a nice warm bath for Stardust in case you had found her.

 **Hunter shakes his head and says:** I'm sorry I don't know. Harmony wasn't in the room when I picked up Stardust. They're staying at the Tavern's Inn a few blocks down from here. Thank you for running Stardust's bath. Now if you will please excuse me, I have a child to bathe and put to bed before it gets any later than what it already is. **(Heads to the back where the bedrooms were located, entered his room where the bath tub sat with fresh water drawn by Chance,closed the door behind him and went over to the bed where he sat Stardust down and said)** Time to wake up now Stardust. It's bath time! Then it's off to bed so you will be well rested for the trip home.

 **Stardust slowly awakens and says:** Is the water just right not too hot and not too cold?

 **Hunter shakes his head and says:** I'm not certain sweetie, Chance ran this bath for you. I'll go bring you a cup of bath water to feel. **(Picks up a cup from the bedside table and went over to the bathtub and filled it with water then took it back over to his daughter and says)** Here stick your fingers in and see if it's too hot or just right.

 **Stardust immerses her hand into the water and says:** Just the way I like having my baf.

 **Hunter sets the cup aside and says:** Good now then let's get you undressed and ready for your bath. **(Begins to undress Stardust until all her dirty clothing was in a pile on the floor and she was wrapped in a warm bath towel and carried over to the tub where she carefully climbed into the tub and began her bath. After a long while the water became cold and she was all cleaned from head to toe,he lifted her up out of the tub and began to dry her off until she was nice and dry then began to comb out her fur and dressed her for bed making sure that her hair was brushed before he braided it in two tails, then he waited while she pulled her pajama top down over her head and climbed into her bottoms then pulled her socks on her feet then crawled into the spare bed pulling the covers up around her chest then pulled out her favorite teddy bear and blanket, snuggled them into her arms and pulled out her favorite book from his satchel and began reading until Stardust was soundly sleeping and he was in the clear to leave her for the time being until he went to bed, got up and dumped the bath water from the glass and filled it with fresh cold water in case Stardust woke up thirsty then leaned down and kissed her head whispering)** _Sweet dreams my darling Stardust, Papa will be in the living room if you need me. There is fresh water in the pitcher and in the glass if you need a drink of water._ **(Gets up,picks up Stardust's dress and cloak to mend them and quietly leaves her bedroom closing the door half way so that the light from the living room could soothe her fear of the dark,sinks into the chair by the fire place and says to Chance)** While I was there to retrieve Stardust, Harmony was in the bedroom sleeping with a fever and sore throat so I have no idea if she is alright. The best way to find out for yourself would be to go and see her in person.

 **Raider stands saying:** Yes we should go see for ourselves if Harmony is alright. It has been well over three months and I am worried about Aeron's safety. **(Leaves Hunter's room saying)** We shall leave at dawn's first light or is dawn's first light too early for the child?

 **Hunter shakes his head saying:** After what Stardust has been through, I say that it will be much too early to get her up. I would say about eleven-twelve o'clock will be fine. Stardust will be awake, bathed, dressed,fed and ready to go by then. She needs as much sleep as she can get before going back home.

 **Raider nods then says:** Alright we will leave later than anticipated in favor of letting Stardust sleep late. Come along Chance we have another stop to make.

 **Chance caught off guard nods his head and says:** Coming Aerrow! Get a move on! **(Leaves behind Raider and heads downstairs)**

 **Aerrow shifts her weight to maneuver her crutches saying:** Oh sure hurry up Aerrow hurry up! You're too slow Aerrow! Move faster Aerrow! I would if I COULD! I'm not the one who messed up my leg Chance! Have you forgotten that YOU messed up my leg before we even left home?! I shouldn't even be here! I should be home with my leg up allowing it to heal!

 **Chance turns on the stairs and says:** YOU wanted to come with me don't forget!

 **Raider turns at the bottom of the stairs and corrects Chance saying:** No you DRAGGED her out of the house saying exercise would promote faster healing of her leg! You could have left her behind at home where your folks could easily have tended to her,but because Aerrow's a girl you insisted she follow you while you trapsized halfway across marsis to visit Harmony who is sick in bed! ( **Calls up to Aerrow saying)** If you'd like you can stay here with Hun---

 **Hunter:** Aww no! No way! This place only has two bedrooms,where the heck am I going to put Aerrow? Besides, Aerrow's married to my brother Tracker! Look out he doesn't show up wanting to kill you! He left her at your house for a reason,so that he could finish painting the master bedroom, Aerrow's allergic to paint fumes! Why you never leave her where Tracker leaves her is beyond me. Now kindly put her on the next stage coach back home with a note kindly explaining that your 'big brotherly instincts' kicked in and you had to drag his PREGNANT wife half across the planet with a sore ankle!

 **Hunter turns and closes the door to his room ,then goes to help Aerrow down the stairs setting her down balancing her with her crutches then turns and heads back upstairs,opens the door and sits in the chair by the fire place to catch up on some mending that needed to be done on his daughter's dress and cape until his exhausted eyes could no longer stay open and as he sat the mending aside,he heard the door open and close the the latch being locked and looked up to see his wife and says in a low voice:** Package for momma in the spare bedroom

 **Joey hurries into the spare bedroom to find much to her relief her small daughter soundly sleeping clutching her favorite bear in her arms and drops to her knees with tears in her eyes muttering:** Oh THANK YOU Ares! Oh thank you! My baby's back home again! **(Notices Stardust's eyes were struggling to open and whispers)** No sweetie, you sleep on and I'll see you when you awake in the morning! Sweet dreams **(Kisses the top of Stardust's head and readjusts her covers then leaves her side for Hunter's arms saying)** Where did you find her?

 **Hunter:** Apparently she'd been wandering around this town with no clue as to who she was and Harmony's aunt and uncle took her in, Aeron read the inscription on the inside of her locket and that unblocked her memories of who she was. It was Aeron who sent word to me that he found Stardust. She was asleep when I arrived but was awake when I walked in to her room, first thing she demanded after food was you but you decided to stay here. She's been fed and bathed, had her bedtime story, a drink of water and is out for the night. I've just finished mending her cloak and dress, her shoes well we'll need to pay a visit to the cobbler and have a new pair made for her,they're worn right down to paper thin soles.

 **Joey nods and says:** Alright as soon as we get home, we'll go to the cobbler and have new shoes for her made. **(Leaves Hunter's arms and goes over to the fireplace and puts out the fire with the sand, then finally retired to their own room leaving the adjoining door open so that they could hear if Stardust had a bad dream during the night, changed from their clothes into their night clothes,blew out the candle,slid into bed with Joey on his left with her head resting against his rib cage and both were soon fast asleep thanking Ares for bringing Stardust back to them unharmed and unaged and reminding himself to send word to his father that his grand daughter was alright and safe.)**

**After leaving Hunter's lodgings and exiting the tavern,Chance and Raider walked the few blocks to the Tavern's Inn where his brother and Chance's sister were said to be staying. Before entering, Raider pulled his cloak closed and pulled up his hood so he wouldn't be recognized and mobbed. Once they entered the tavern, Trapper told them to go straight up the stairs and to the left to find Aeron and Harmony's lodgings for the time.**

**Raider reaches out and knocks on the door hoping that he wasn't about to awaken anyone from their sleep.**

**Aeron hears someone knocking on the door and goes over to open it and welcomes his brother and Chance into his lodgings saying:** Hello long time no see! Come in! Come in! What brings you here at this time of the night?!

 **Raider enters the room and unfastens his cloak saying:** I've been worried sick about you! That's what brings me here at this time of the night! Are you alright Aeron?

 **Aeron:** I'm fine bro. **(Notices Chance and Aerrow had come in behind Raider and shut the door quickly and says)** You want to see your sister right? Well just one second and I'll go see if she woke up yet. **(Heads into the bedroom and says to a slowly awakening Harmony)** Harmony honey, your brothers Chance and Aerrow are here to see you. They've been worried sick about you for the longest time and would like to make certain that you are alright.

 **Harmony becomes fully awake and says:** Chance and Aerrow are here?

 **Aeron nods and says:** That's what I just said. Chance and Aerrow will understand that you were sleeping.

 **Harmony:** it's alright, I'm in no shape to be out of bed, you can let him in. **(manages to sit up against her pillow and says)** Chance? Aerrow?

 **Chance turns around and goes into Harmony's room and over to her bed where he sits on the side of the bed and says:** Harmony! **(leans down and wraps his arms around his sister saying)** Oh thank Ares you are safe! Oh I have been worrying about you for so long! Are you alright?

 **Harmony returns Chance's hug saying:** I will be fine in a few days. I feel like I swallowed sandpaper and am standing in a firestorm.

 **Chance releases Harmony and allows Aerrow to hug her saying:** No wonder we haven't heard from you in so long! Father's worried sick as is grandfather!

 **Harmony:** Oh dear I had not meant to worry everyone. It's just some travelers came in sick and stayed. Then after they left, I felt funny and the doctor said it was just a sore throat and a fever and I'm restricted to stay in bed and rest and drink lots of fluids.

 **Chance:** Poor thing. Father's practice has been overflowing to the point where grandfather had to come out of retirement and re-open his office to handle the over flow of sick patients.

 **Harmony confused:** Grandfather came out of retirement? What is going on back home?

 **Aeron:** A very nasty bout of a rhino virus that is what sidelined me and landed me in bed with a hundred and two degree fever and a throat that made swallowing feel like torture.

 **Harmony:** So that is where this nasty bug came from! Travelers passing through Sapphireshire are bringing that virus here and spreading it like wildfire.

 **Chance:** Unfortunately at the same time Chicken Pox,Mumps and Measles are going around through the children.

 **Harmony surprised to find out that the Mumps,Chicken Pox and Measles were going around and says:** Oh my, the triple whammy! Oh thank goodness your children already had all three and are immune.

 **Aeron nervously chuckles and says:** Raider and I are the only ones here who haven't had any of the three yet.

 **Harmony in disbelief:** You two never had the triple whammy?

 **Aeron:** No and we've never really caught that other nasty virus that went around when we were kids and his grandfather was on the throne in his mother's home kingdom.

 **Raider:** I had the common cold and a few ear aches but that was it. Never caught the triple whammy and hope that I never do.

 **Harmony nods and says:** Yes let's hope you don't. Chicken Pox,Measles and Mumps are dangerous in adults. Boys could you leave Chance,Aerrow and I alone for a few minutes? (Watches as the others left her bedroom to give her,Chance and Aerrow some privacy)

 **Chance:** What is it Harmony? What do you want to speak with me about?

 **Harmony:** This! **(holds out her left hand to show Chance and Aerrow the ring and says)** This is what I wanted to talk to you about. He has finally asked me!

 **Chance takes a close look at the ring that encircled his sister's finger and says:** Aeron has finally asked you to marry him? What did you say Harmony? Was it something understandable?

 **Harmony:** Of course he could understand the answer! I said yes to him! Why would I not say yes to him? Aeron is the only man who has not tried to seduce me into having intercourse with him. He would rather wait until we were married and more comfortable with each other before having intercourse with each other.

 **Chance pulls his sister into a hug saying:** At least you've found the right man to be the perfect husband and father to your future children! I wish you all the best for your up coming marriage. **(Releases her saying)** So when is the date?

 **Harmony shakes her head and says:** We haven't set a date just yet. It is too soon to be setting a wedding date. We decided to wait awhile longer before actually setting the date of our wedding. There are still somethings that I don't know about Aeron that I need to know before we marry and there are things about me that he still would like to know about before the wedding date is set. So until we have brought forth everything about us, there is no wedding date to be announced. I think it will take a few more years before we are actually ready to exchange wedding vows and begin our lives as husband and wife then start a family. I would have to say we want to wait three or four years or more before we actually think about when we want to set the wedding date. You will be the first to know when the wedding date will be. The only thing we need right now is time to be with each other ALONE with no family around us to pester me into setting a wedding date when Aeron and I are not ready to be getting married, We need time.

 **Chance:** Since time and privacy are what you two need, then time and privacy are what you shall have. If anyone asks if Aeron has found you, of course the answer will be yes but if they ask where to find you, then I do not know where you two are. Since you two are going to be staying here longer than a few months then you will need plenty of clothing to wear so that you do not have to wear the same thing over and over again.

 **Aerrow:** First thing in the morning we will go to the tailor shop up the street and have some clothes made for you and Aeron to wear. We are not leaving for Sapphireshire until later tomorrow morning at around elven or twelve,Stardust needs plenty of extra sleep so that is why we are leaving later in the day than anticipated. 'Tis a shame you will not be able to get out of bed to see us off in the morning. I do wish you could get out of bed for one day. Braeden would love to see you. He'll be here in the morning to take me home so I can

 **Harmony notices the bulge in Aerrow's dress and says:** My good god! What are you doing out of bed? Youre near due to have your baby and with your leg the way it is you should never have been moved! Chance! Smarten up! You injured Aerrow's leg and now you are carting her around Marsis on an injured leg three weeks away from having her second baby?! Are you insane?! What would father say if he found out you dragged Aerrow this far across Marsis in her condition? Traveling in a carriage this far in her pregnancy is HIGHLY dangerous! Why do you think mother NEVER travelled when she was this far along? Too many bumps in the road can start an early labor! Wisen up brother! As do I but doctors orders are not to be defied. You know that father's a doctor as is grandfather and what they say goes. Now it is best you go and get something in your stomach and you can have the rooms across the hall to sleep in for the night.

 **Chance stands and leaves his sisters bedside saying:** What about you?

 **Harmony:** Me? I already ate hours ago while Aeron worked the floor serving customers. I will be fine. Go on and get something to eat.

**During the course of supper,Raider excused himself from the dining room and went to the front desk and wrote out a swift notice to his carriage driver Chase not to show up until eleven thirty-twelve o'clock since they wanted to get some extra sleep then Maya had it sent off to where Chase was staying with family and notified him as soon as Chase sent a response back indicating that noon was a perfect pick up time and to come pick up Aerrow and take her to the next town over where Braeden was staying furious over his brother in law's decision to cart his pregnant wife half over Marsis three weeks away from her delivery date.**

**Three hours later after the quartet had eaten and drank as much as they could handle,they trudged back upstairs to their lodgings and entered their respective bedrooms and got ready for bed so that Chance and Raider would be ready to leave later the next morning to head back to the Sapphiresheir Kingdom.**

**Raider turns and says to Aerrow:** Do be careful on your journey to the next town over. Braeden's waiting at the arrival station for you,from there you'll take my personal carriage to the Inn where he is staying for the night then after that you two will be heading straight back to Sapphireshier where Neil is waiting for you to arrive to check your leg for any signs of infection and to change the dressing on your leg and as far as I can see they really DO need to be changed. Lots of stuff has seeped onto the bandages. If you don't mind me asking, how did Chance hurt your leg?

 **Aerrow heave a sigh saying:** Typical idiotic moron that he is, he keeps forgetting that though I was named Aerrow in anticipation that I'd be born a boy but was born a girl, he knocked me into the kettle that had semi-boiling poison flesh eating bacteria filled water in it tipping it over dumping the contents onto my leg and then just up and ran off leaving me there. Father says I will be lucky if the infection does not eat through the flesh and to the bone. Chance never fessed up but grandma knew who made the mess because I was sopping wet and Chance was bone dry.

**11:45 A.M.**

**Chase stops the carriage,climbs down and enters the Harbor Inn where he picked up Hunter,Caitlin and Stardust who were waiting for him to arrive and got into the carriage then headed to the Tavern Inn where they picked up Chance and Raider who weren't downstairs quite yet.**

**12:04 P.M.**

**Chance looks out his bedroom window and sees Chase waiting then ensures he has everything, leaves his room and goes to the next room knocking on the door saying:** Raider? Chase's here, are you ready yet? **(Thinks to himself)** _Are you even out of bed yet or are you waiting for someone to come in and dress you?_

 **Raider awakens at the sound of Chance knocking on his door,flings back the covers,gets up and goes his window and peers out through a partition in the curtains and sees Chase waiting then hurriedly throws off his night clothes and starts dressing thinking:** _Oh good grief I'm late getting up! Chase's waiting outside and here I am still in my night clothes and unfortunately I have to forget about a bath! Oh well that's the price I've gotta pay for not getting up a few extra hours early to have a proper bath!_ **(Picks up his royal outfit and slips it on making sure everything was on properly then slips his feet into his boots and gathers up his civilian clothing and boots then stuffs it all into the bag that was in the chair and puts his cloak on ensuring that his royal clothing couldn't be seen and remakes the bed and opens the door to find Chance still waiting and says)** Let's get going. I've made us late by oversleeping. I take it Aerrow, Aeron and Harmony are still asleep?

 **Chance:** No, they were up hours ago and went for breakfast. I couldn't get back to sleep so I got up and dressed making sure I packed everything then I went down for breakfast with them. I tried to rouse you at ten o'clock to get you up and ready but you wouldn't budge from your bed so I just left you to figure the time out for yourself and now you've made us late by oversleeping and staying up well past two in the morning.

 **Raider feels his cheeks burning and says:** I had no idea that I was up that late! I thought for sure that it was only past midnight when I went to bed! You're absolutely certain that it was well past two a.m. when I went to bed last night? The sundial only read twelve fifteen when I looked before going to bed.

 **Chance:** I am absolutely positive that it was past two in the morning when I finally heard you settle in for the night. The clock in my room read two forty five a.m. even the sundial outside my bedroom window read two forty five. That's a quarter to three in the morning! What was so urgent that kept you up half the night and prevented me from getting a decent nights sleep?

 **Raider goes over to the wall where the moon clock was located and reads the time from the previous night and says:** Hmm, I guess it was later than midnight when I went to bed. I never once thought that it would be a quarter to three in the morning when I went to bed. Oh I was just doing some late night mending to my pants and vest, found a few holes that I missed before. Then I put the finishing touches on that flannel cloak coat that I'd been working on for Stardust to wear. **(Pulls it out of the satchel and says)** You've youngsters at home that are Stardust's height and width, is this to big for her to wear? Coral and Collette are smaller in height and width than Stardust is and Cassidy's too big to match up to Stardust's height and she's developing a chest so she's no good to measure this on.

 **Chance takes the flannel cape coat from Raider's hand and looks at it saying:** Perhaps maybe four sizes too big for Stardust

 **Raider:** Darned, I thought I had the measurements right when I started working on the coat.

 **Chance:** Don't forget though, Stardust's a growing active girl so a coat that is four or five sizes too big on her right now, will be perfect as she grows bigger with each growth spurt she has. Don't forget that as Stardust grows, she'll need plenty of stretching room and by making things four or five sizes too big for her now, will ensure that she has plenty of space to grow into the coat as time goes on. The coat is water resistant which will be good news to her parents who fret over her when it rains and it comes apart so that she has a cloak for spring,summer,fall and winter the key times when she'll need this the most are spring,fall and winter when it's below freezing outside. I'd say you made a good quality choice in the materials and design of this cloak coat. Stardust will love it, the only thing she has to wear right now and it is late autumn; is that light weight cloak she has on right now and the last thing her parents need after three years of searching for her, is to have Stardust in bed sick with a stuff, runny nose,deep cough,a fever and the chills when they're not home. It'd be alright if they were at home where they could whip something up to make her feel better and coddle her until she felt better, but unfortunately we're not home. **(Opens the door and startles Chase as he says)** Oh terribly sorry there Chase, I didn't know you were on the other side of the door. Yes we are on our way down to the carriage to be on our way home, Raider just overslept, the clock in his room is three hours slow so he misjudged the time he went to bed last night.

 **Chase backs up and not wanting to be reprimanded for a third time and possibly loose his job, hurriedly says:** I will go back out to the carriage and await your arrival. **(Turns and hurriedly descends the stairs and heads back out to the carriage where he waited for Chance,Aerrow and Raider to come out.)**

 **Raider hears Aeron and Harmony emerge from their room,turns and says:** Well we're ready to head back home knowing that we have little Stardust in tow makes Hunter's life easier.

 **Chance embraces Harmony saying:** Take care of yourself Harmony and I'll see you as soon as you return home. As for now it's best we not keep Chase waiting any longer. **(Turns and leaves ahead of Raider)**

 **Harmony reaches out and snags Chance's cloak and says in a low voice:** I got permission to be out of bed just to see you off then it is back to bed. Before you leave,here,give this to Chase for me. It's a change of clothes and plenty of food and drink for him. I put it in this satchel so no one knows what's in side.

 **Chance takes the satchel and says:** I'll be sure to give it to Chase when I get into the carriage. **(Turns and continues down the stairs and exits the tavern heading to the curbside where he hands Chase the satchel saying)** Six pairs of pants and shirts, underwear and plenty of food and water for you so you won't go hungry.

 **Chase takes the satchel and says:** Thank you sir, I appreciate the thought. **(Climbs up to the drivers seat then lifts up the seat and carefully sets the satchel in the hidden compartment the closes it and climbs back down to wait for Raider)**

 **Chance shakes his head and says:** Oh it isn't from me, it's from Harmony and Aeron who don't want you going hungry or thirsty or have to do without clean clothes. **(Climbs into the carriage where he checks over Stardust and gives her a temporary clean bill of health saying to Hunter)** I want to see her as soon as we get back for a more through exam and to up date her inoculations.


End file.
